Moving-locking means



Oct. 9, 1934. e. E2. SWARTZ MOVING LOCKING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed,April 7, 1928 INVENTOR. fin/n7? A'TTORNEY Oct 9, 1934. s. E. SWARTZMOVING LOCKING MEANS Filed April 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 yazqja BYINVENTORw J/M x ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1934 NETED STATES PATENT FICE9 Claims.

My invention relates to means or devices which have moving and lockingmechanisms incorporated in one mechanism.

One object of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, easilyoperable and efficient means whereby a positive movement in more thanone direction is effected and whereby the movement isautomaticallyarrested or looked as soon as either the moving element or the movedelement stops moving without the necessity of any additional movement ofany member of the means to effect the locking and without producing anywedging actions between members of the means while the moving is goingon and to balance the members of the means while the moving is going onas well as while the locking is in effect and to provide free and easymovement for the members while the same are moving and to provide ameans whereby the element or member which causes the moving of memberscan be attached in various positions to more convenient- 1y effect themoving of members and which has means whereby a reversal of the leastnumber of parts enables the mechanism to exert a power stroke or motionor movement in either direction with consequent reversal of the releasestroke or motion or movement. Other objects will appear, or becomeapparent or obvious, or will suggest themselves upon an inspection ofthe accompanying drawings and during the description following herein.

1 am aware that my invention can be applied to various devices and invarious combinations with other devices. In order to illustrate myinvention, I have selected and embodied my invention in and have shownin the accompanying drawings and will describe herein one type ofstructure associated with one type of devices but it is understood thatsuch showing and description is intended for illustrating purposes andis not intended to nor does it constitute a limitation of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. l is a general perspective view of a device embodying my inventionand associated with a clamping device without the operating handlethereon.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken in a vertical plane indicated bythe line 22 in Fig. 1 and shows longitudinal interior relations andstructures more clearly.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken in a vertical plane indicated bythe line 33 in Fig. 2 and shows radial interior relations and structuresmore clearly.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the wedge member of Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the wedge member of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 3 and shows a modification of thewedge element.

Fig. '7 is a longitudinal section taken in a vertical plane indicated bythe line '7 in Fig. 6 and shows longitudinal interior relations andstructures more clearly.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the driving member.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the driven member.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the operating handle.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theviews.

The device shown in the drawings, adapted to carry out my invention inone manner and structure, includes a vise like structure, adapted forclamping purposes such as in vises which, obviously, can be modified forother clamping devices such as self clamping jigs, or power clampingjigs, or manual clamping jigs or other devises.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3:

The article A is shown clamped against the abutment B positionally fixedon the base C by means of the bar 10 in operative rack and toothengagement with shaft D joumaled in the base C which has thepositionally fixed boss 11 thereon, and the annular cage member orelement E is mounted in one side of the boss and the inner surface 12 ofthe member E is concentric and parallel with the longitudinal axis ofthe shaft D. The showing of the base C is conventional. The device ormeans can be mounted in any convenient housing of a machine or otherstructure as well as in a housing of its own.

The member or element F, in the present instance the driven member, isshown circular and journaled in the cage and keyed onto the shaft D androtates with the same and with two notches in outer surface thereof eachnotch having two side walls 13 and 14 each radial and parallel with thelongitudinal axis of the shaft D;-the bottom of each notch being formedwith one portion thereof circular, of a size to clear the inner surfaceof the prongs hereinafter describedand another portion thereof, designedas 15, is flat and parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shaft Dand at an angle with or inclined to the inner surface 12 so that a pairof opposite inclined planes are formed between the cage and the drivenmember convergent away from the side walls 14 as clearly seen in Fig. 3.

The members or elements G are here shown cylindrical and straight, onein each notch, of a diametrical size to loosely fit between the innersurface 12 and the bottom 15 in a circumferential position to be morefully described herein and of a length to loosely fit between the plate16 and the member or element H in the present instance the drivingmember journaled on the shaft D and in the cage, which is shown with twodiametrically opposite prongs 1'7 extending into the corresponding oneof the notches and each having the two side faces 18 and 19 thereofradial and parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shaft D and fiatfor non-wedging contact thereof on other drive contacting members. Thefaces 18, the faces 19, the walls 13, and the walls 14 are shown exactlyopposite diametrically; the members G likewise are shown exactlydiametrically opposite and the distance and the relation between eachinclined plane or surface 15 and the inner surface 12 and the axis ofthe shaft D is identical with the other.

This opposite location of members, preferably two although any othereven number of elements can be used, balances the same about the axis ofthe shaft -D and prevents wedging and disalignment of members asdistinguished from one or three or other uneven number of elementswhich, due to the necessarily uneven balancing relation about a commonaxis, do not balance the members and promote wedging between members.

The radial and parallel arrangement of the faces and walls alwaysinsures square and a nonwedging action between members and therebyassists in the balancing and in the preventing of wedging mentionedabove.

The polygonal stud 20 is shown hexagonal and extending outwardly fromthe member Hs0 that the lever or handle I, shown in Fig. 10, having thepolygonal opening 21 transversely through an end thereof can removablyengage the polygonal studs 20 of the element H for rotation-of theelement H. As shown in Fig. 1, the handle I can readily be attached toand removed from the stud 20. As shown in Fig. 7, the member 34 isextended radially to hold the handle I onto the member H. This polygonalconnecting means between the member H and the handle I permits thehandle to be attached to the member H in various radial positions, sixin the present instance, and thereby facilitates the operation of themechanism in that an operator can place the handle in the mostconvenient position for ease and efficient operation.

The nut 22, countersunk into the member H to economize in space, holdsthe member H in rotative and longitudinal relation on the shaft D.

Two diametrically opposite lock mechanisms each, in the presentinstance, an automatic spring operated and consequently resilient lockmeans, is shown as a longitudinally movable pin or plunger member K witha head 23 on one end thereof and operating in the bore 24 in the memberF and opening into the notch therein through the wall 14 while the otherend thereof isguided in the opening 25 in the bottom of the bore 24 and,in the present instance, has the pin 26 tolimit the movement of the head23 into the notch in the member F. The spring 27 is shown as acompression spring with one end thereof abutting the head 23 and theother end abutting the bottom of the bore 24 to normally urge the headoutwardly of the bore 24 and into the notch in the member F.

The longitudinal axis of each member K is shown as tangent to a circularpath of travel of the mechanism so that the member K moves in adirection leading toward the inner surface 12 and away from the surface15 when the spring 27 actuates the same and toward the surface 15 andaway fromthe surface 12 when other means move the same.

The contacting drive faces or surfaces 13, 14, 18, and 19 of thisstructure and the contacting drive faces 32 of the below describedmechanism, as related to drive faces corresponding to the faces of Fig.3, are made flat so that there can be no wedg'ing action between theparts having these faces or surfaces and the locking members can moverelative thereto to move into a wedging position against or between themembers E and F without producing a wedging action between the prongs1'7 and the cage E nor between the locking member and the driving facesnor between the prongs and the member F nor be tween contacting drivefaces.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 6 of the drawing:-

This view shows a modification of the rotatable moving-lockingmechanism. In order to economize in longitudinal space required for themechanism, the annular cage or member E is shown as unrotatably mountedin the support 11. The member H is the same as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Themember F is substantially the same as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 except thatthe flat portions 15 there shown are here extended and designated as 28and the pocket 29 is inclined more inwardly.

In this modification each of the wedge members or elements L is shown asa shoe shaped member as distinguished from the pin shaped members G inFig. 1 having the extended nose 30 and the end face 32 slightly spacedfrom the face 18 and urged toward the inner surface 12 by the spring 33in the pocket 29 similar to the springs 27 to normally effect locking.

The washer 34 is shown added here and as rotating with the shaft D andas held in place by means of the nut 22.

Each face 32 is radial with the axis of the shaft D and both of thesefaces as well as the members L as a whole are exactly oppositediametrically.

All opposite parts or members are duplicates to reduce cost ofproduction as well as to equalize weight to assist in the balancing ofthe entire mechanism. 7

This duplicate structure and the use of an even number of elements andthe relations and structures of the elements permits the reversal of thepower and release strokes by merely reversing the member F on the shaftD.

The shoe like members L provide a better and a more lasting and a bettergripping brake or contact or looking effect between the members E and F'than the pin like members.

Referring now particularly to the operation of the mechanism shown anddescribed.

The inner surface 12 is unrotating and the rollers G can roll thereonand the wedges L can slide thereon in a circular path with thelongitudinal axis of the shaft as a center when the mechanism isrotating.

. When the mechanism is at rest, as when the bar 10 clamps the article Aagainst the abutment B and thereby stops the rotation of the member Fthrough the shaft D and the geared connection thereof with the bar 10,or when the member 1-1 is not rotated, the springs 27 immediately andautomatically force the rollers into space between the convergentsurfaces 12 and 15 without any additional means or operation.

Since the rollers are normally loosely in the notches, this springaction forces the same against these surfaces and thereby locks themember F to the unrotatable member E in a wedging action and therebyprevents self rotation of the member F as well as the member H in itherrotative direction and thereby produces an effective and efficient lockagainst rotation of the mechanism which operates instantly and withoutany lost motion or backing up of one or more of the members and withoutrequiring any effort of the moving force nor any travel of the movingmeans.

When the member H is rotated, by means of the handle or otherwise, inthe direction of the arrow shown thereon in Fig. 1, the faces 19 on theprongs 17 contact the unyielding faces or walls 13 of the notches in themember F and thereby rotates the same and the shaft D positively in thesame direction and without any lost motion.

This rotation of the member H rotates the member F and the convergentsurfaces 15 or 28 move away from the locking m mbers G- and L andthereby release the locking sufficiently for rotation of the member F.As soon as rotation of the member F stops, the springs push the lookingmembers along the convergent surfaces and into the less deep parts ofthe notches and into looking position between the cage and the member F.When rotative reverse pressure is brought onto the member F from theshaft, the locking members grip more tightly, according to pressure, andthereby effectively prevents self reversing rotation of the member F andconsequently self reversing movement of the clamping member 10.

While the members 1-1 and F are so rotating, the rollers rotate in theopposite direction on their own axis and tend to move or rollpcsitionally toward the deeper end of the inclined surfaces 12 and 15and are thereby freed of positive confinement or wedging contact on theinclined surfaces. Since each of the members K has a longitudinalmovement directed toward the surface 12, the heads 23, through thesprings 2'7, push the rollers against the surface 12 and release thesame from the surfaces 15 and thereby permit the members F and H to movein unison through a positive and unyielding and non-wedging actionbetween the members.

While the member F is so rotated, the rollers follow the same movementbodily and, in doing so in contact with the unrotating surface 12, arerotated in the opposite direction at a surface speed of the rollersproportional to the circumference of the rollers and the surface 12. Themember F and the faces 15 thereon rotate at the same speed as therollers move bodily but, since the springs primarily move the rollersinto contact with the surface 12 of larger diameter and consequentlylonger circumferential path than the surfaces 15, the surface speed ofthe rollers is greater than the surface speed of the surfaces 15 and,since the direction of travel of the surface of the rollers is the sameas the direction of travel of the surfaces 15, the rollers will tend toroll toward the large end of the space between the surfaces 12 and 15and thereby prevent themselves from wedging anywhere even if the springsdid tend to seat them on the inclined surfaces as long as the mechanismis moving.

As soon as the mechanism stops moving or rotating, the bodily movementand consequent rotation of the rollers stops and the springs move therollers into wedging position between the inclined surfaces and holdthem there effectively since there is nothing to move them out of thiscontact except when the mechanism is rotating.

Therefore the mechanism is free of any wedging action of any membersthereof while the same is moving or rotating and the wedging action ofthe lock mechanism comes into play or action only when and aftermovement or rotation of the mechanism has stopped. Therefore, themechanism can be rotated freely to any circumferential position andlocked in that exact position the moment that rotation stops withoutrequiring any short or travel of the moving means or producing anywedging of any kind except after the rotation of the mechanism hasstopped.

When the member H is rotated in a direction opposite the arrow in Fig.l, the same first travels a sufficient distance to traverse the spacebetween the faces 18 and the rollers, provided for taking up wear andinaccurate machining, and then moves the rollers against the heads 23and pushes the same into the member F until the rollers abut the faces14 in a positive unyielding contact or drive without wedging the rollersagainst the surface 12 and rotates the member F and the shaft D in areverse direction through unyielding, positive and non-wedging means.

This reversing movement, like the forward movement, requires very littlepower since all of the members are balanced and there is no wedging orother power consuming or travel consuming operations except the veryslight power required to compress the springs and the very slight travelbetween the faces 18 and the rollers.

When and after the reverse movement, like the forward movement, stopsthe springs automatically and instantly move the rollers into wedging orlocking position and thereby lock the mechanism against rotation in theexactposition into which the same has been rotated forwardly orreversely by the moving means.

The mechanism shown in Fig. 6 operates in a manner similar to thatdescribed except that the springs 33 normally move the member L towardthe surfaces 12 during forward rotation of the mechanism and theunyielding faces 18 positively contact the unyielding faces 32 duringreverse rotation of the mechanism without wedging the members L againstthe surface 12 until the rotation of the mechanism is stopped whereuponand whereafter the springs effect a positive and effective locking ofthe mechanism against rotation as in the forward rotation of themechanism.

I am aware that my invention can be applied to or embodied in variousdevices or in various embodiments, or in various unitary structures, oneunitary embodiment being shown and described herein and that variouschanges or modifications can be made in the particular structure as wellas arrangement of elements so shown and described, the one modificationshown and described giving some idea as to how such changes may be orcan be made, within the scope of the appended claims; therefore, withoutlimiting myself to the precise application of my invention shown anddescribed nor to the precise structure and arrangements of parts orelements or members shown and described,

I claim:-

1. A means of the character described including a positionally fixedannular cage, a portion of a driving member and a driven member in saidcage and rotatable on'the axis' thereof, each of said members having twocontacting drive faces each contactable on the corresponding face of theother, said drive faces being diametrically opposite to balance saidmembers and to prevent lost motion and position disturbing actionbetween said members and between said members and said cage. V 2. Ameans of the character described including a positionally fixed annularcage, a portion of a driving member and a driven member in said cage androtatable on the longitudinal axis thereof and each member having twocontacting drive faces each contactable on the corresponding face of theother, said drive faces being diametrically opposite and on a radialaxis from said longitudinal axis to balance said members and to preventlostmotion and position disturbing and \vedging action between saidmembers and between said members and said cage.

3. A means of the character described including a rotatable memberhaving two diametrically opposite notches therein, a rotatable memberhaving two diametrically opposite prongs each extending into thecorresponding one of said notches, one side face of each of said prongscontactable directly on one of the side walls of the corresponding oneof said notches, a wedge member in each one of said notches and eachcontactable on the other side face of the correspcndingone of saidprongs. and on the other side wall of the corresponding one of saidnotches, and a member resiliently mounted in said notched member andeach adapted to move the corre sponding one of said rotatable wedgemembers into wedging position to lock said members against rotation.

4. A means of the character described including a member rotatable on adefinite axis and having two diametrically opposite notches therein, amember rotatable on said axis and having two diametrically oppositeprongs each extending into the corresponding one of said notches, theside faces of said prongs and the side walls of said notches beingradial to said axis, one side face of each of said prongs contactabledirectly on one of the side walls of the corresponding one of saidnotches, and a member movable individually in each one of said notchesbetween the corresponding other side faces of said prongs and thecorresponding other side walls of said notches.

5. A means of the character described including an ember rotatable on adefinite axis and having two diametrically opposite notches therein, amember rotatable on said axis and having two diametrically oppositeprongs each extending into the corresponding one of said notches, theside faces of said prongs and the side walls of said notches beingentirely fiat and in alignment with. said axis, one side face of eachone of said prongs contactable on one of saidwalls of the correspondingone of said notches, and a parallel sided member in each one of saidnotches between the corresponding other side face of said prongs and thecorresponding side walls of said notches. I

6. A means of the character described includand in alignment with saidaxis, one side face.

of each of said prongs contactable on one side wall of the correspondingone of said notches, and a parallel sided member in each one of saidnotches between the other side faces of the corresponding one of saidprongs and the other side,

walls of the corresponding one of said notches.

7. A means of the character described including an annular cage, amember in said cage and rotatable on the axis thereof and having twodiametrically opposite notches therein, a member rotatable on said axisand having two diametrically opposite prongs each extending into thecorresponding one of said notches, the side faces of said prongs and theside walls of said notches being flat and radial to and parallel withsaid axis, one side face of each of said prongs contactable on one sidewall of the corresponding one of said notches, and a wedge member ineach one of said notches between the other side face of thecorresponding one of said prongs and the other side wall of thecorresponding one of said notches and the inner surface of said cage.

8. A means of the character described including a rotatable drivenmember having two diametrically opposite notches therein, a rotatabledriving member having two prongs each extending into one of said notchesto drive said driven member, one side face of each of said prongscontactable on one side wall of the corresponding one of said notches topositively drive said driven member in one rotative direction, and amember in each of said notches and contactable on the other side face ofthe corresponding one of said prongs and on the other side wall of thecorresponding one of said notches to positively drive said driven memberin the opposite rotative direction; said side faces on said prongs andsaid side walls on said notches being entirely flat and diametricallyopposite to maintain balance between said members.

9. A means of the character described including a rotatable drivenmember having two diametrically opposite notches therein, a rotatabledriving member having two prongs each extending into one of said notchesto drive said driven member, one side face of each of said prongscontactable on one side wall of the corresponding one of said notches topositively drive said driven member in one rotative direction, and amember in each one of said notches and contactable on the other sideface of the corresponding one of said prongs and on the other side wallof the corresponding one of said matches to positively drive said drivenmember in the opposite rotative direction; said side faces on saidprongs and said side walls on said notches being entirely flat anddiametrically opposite to maintain balance between said members andradial and parallel to prevent wedging between said members.

GUY E. SWARTZ.

